Julius stopped in his tracks.
A heavy silence fell between them, thick with all the things left unsaid.
Finally, Julius spoke. His voice was quiet—calm—but the words cut like a blade.
"I don't remember you ever saying that."
Maverick's breath caught. He stared at Julius's back, eyes narrowing, lips pressing into a tight line.
He couldn't see Julius's face, but he didn't need to. He knew him too well. After everything they'd been through—after all the days, the nights, the battles—they were too close for lies to work.
And Julius was lying.
Maverick clenched his fists, the sound of his knuckles tightening barely audible. A soft, bitter chuckle escaped his lips—but there was no humor in it. Only pain.
"Well," he said with a cracked smile, "I guess I would've forgotten too... if it weren't for you."
Julius didn't move. He stood there like stone. Silent. Unshaken.
Maverick exhaled slowly and ran a hand through his hair, tired—so tired.
